Hinged joint for planks



M. H. CRAMER HINGED JOINT FOR PLANKS June 26, 195 1 Filed May 29, 1947 & a w w m Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE HINGED JOINT FOR PLANKS Marvin H. Cramer, George, Iowa Application May 29, 1947, Serial No. 751,251

1 Claim. (Cl. 304-40) This invention relates to a hinge joint for planks.

In building construction and repair, particularly in painting, paper hanging, and interior and exterior decorating, long planks are used by the mechanics on which to stand while doing their work. These planks are bulky and cumbersome to transport from one job to another, and later on the job when they must be carried up and down stairways.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a joint for two sections of a scaffolding plank, which two sections may be used instead of one long plank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinged joint for two sections of scaffolding plank which is rigid in construction and will rigidly secure the plank sections together.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a hinged joint for two sections of a scafiolding plank which can be readily constructed of commercially available material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hinged joint forthe sections of a scaifolding plank which can be readily applied to one section and to which the other sections may also be readily attached.

Still other objects, advantages, and improvements will become apparent from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hinged plank joint of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the section line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing the plank sections in place.

Figure 4 is also a side elevational view, but showing one of the plank sections folded under the other.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a pair of side bars I3 and I4 arranged in spaced relation, a supporting plate 25 arranged transversely of the side bars intermediate their ends and fixedly secured thereto. A first strap member I5 is arranged transversely of the side bars I3 and I4 and is fixedly secured to one of the adjacent ends of the latter-named bars, the strap member I5 and the adjacent portion of the supporting plate 25 forming a hanger for supporting a plank section II] thereon. A securing means or bolts I6 extend through the strap member I5 and the plank section I0, while a securing means or bolts 28 extend through the adjacent portion of the supporting plate 25,

the respective securing means fixedly securing the plank section ID to the strap member I5 and the supporting plate 25. A second strap member I9 is arranged transversely of the side bars I3 and I l adjacent the other of the adjacent ends of the side bars and mounted for swinging movement about an axis transverse of said side bars I3 and I4, or about the bolts 20 carried by the side bars I3 and I4. The strap member I9 and the adjacent portion of the supporting plate 25 form a second hanger for supporting another plank section I2 thereon, and securing means or bolts 23 extend through the plank section I2 and the strap member I9 for fixedly securing the plank section I2 to the strap member I9. A separator plate 26 is fixedly supported upon the supporting plate 25 and is engageable with the adjacent ends of the, plank sections I0 and I2 and for limiting the longitudinal movement of the latter.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and to Figure 3 in particular, the two plank sections are here shown at I0 and I2. The hinged joint is comprised principally of two parallel side bars I3 and I4. At one end of the side bars I3 and I4 an inverted U- or trough-shaped strap member I5 is rigidly secured, as by welding. At the other end of the bars I3 and I 4, a second inverted U- or trough-shaped strap member I9 is pivotally secured by short bolts 20 having nuts 2| thereon. The plank section I0 is secured to the strap member if: by bolts I6 passing through the strap member and plank section and through an anchor plate I! on the under side of the plank section, the bolts having nuts I8 on their lower ends. Similarly, the plank section I2 is secured to the strap member I9 by bolts 22 which pass through the strap member and plank section and through an anchor plate 23 on the under side of the plank section, these bolts having nuts 24 on their lower ends.

At their mid-sections, and also at approximately their mid-heights, a horizontal supporting plate 25 is secured to the side bars I3 and Hi and transversely of same, as by welding. A vertical bar or separator plate 26 is secured to the supporting plate 25 along the center line of the latter and also to the side bars I3 and I4, again as by welding. As shown in Figure 3, the plank sections I El and I2 rest on the supporting plate 25 and abut the separator plate 26 at their inner ends in the extended position of the plank.

In operation, the plank section I 0 is secured to the inverted U-strap I 5 and the supporting plate 25 by the sets of bolts l6 and 28, respectively; similarly, plank section 12 is secured to the inverted U-strap I9 by the bolts 22, but only rests on the supporting plate 25. In the extended position of the plank, the weight of the plank section, in addition to any weight thereon, such as the body of a man, or tools, holds the inner end of the plank section l2 firrnly against the supporting plate 25. For transporting the plank from job to job, or from one location to another on the same job, the plank section 12 may be folded under the plank section it), asshown in Figure 4, the inverted U-shaped strap l9 pivoting around the bolts 20 to the upright position of Figure 4.

It will be apparent that, while the above description and annexed drawings set forth the preferred embodiment of th present invention, various changes may be made in the sizes, proportions, and relative arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A device for connecting scaffold planks or the like, comprising laterally spaced substantially parallel bars, an inverted U-shaped transverse strap fixedly secured between the bars near one pair of their ends, a transverse bar fixedly secured between-the parallel bars near the longitudinal centers thereof and arranged at an elevation below the top of the inverted U-shaped strap so that the end of a first plank may be inserted longitudinally under the inverted U-shaped strap and over the transverse bar, an upstanding web secured to the transverse bar near its transverse center and extending longitudinally of the transverse bar and arranged to contact the end of the first plank to limit its longitudinalmovement, spaced bolts mounted upon the inverted U -shaped 4 strap and extending below the same, a clamp plate tolbe arranged beneath the first plank and connected to the bolts for securing the first plank to the inverted U-shaped strap, spaced bolts mounted upon the transverse bar upon the side of the upstanding web near the inverted U-shaped straps and extending above the transverse bar, a clamp plate to be arranged above the first plank and connected to the last-named bolts for securing th first plank to the transverse bar, a second inverted U-shaped transverse strap pivotally connected with the parallel bars near their opposite ends and adapted to swing vertically about the adjacent ends of the parallel bars, the top of the second inverted U-shaped strap being at an' elevation above the transverse bar in one position so that the end of the second plank may be inserted longitudinally under the second inverted U-shaped strap and over the transverse bar, the

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the. file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 802,126 Van Etten Oct. 17, 1905 1,470,122 Schuler Oct.- 9, 1923 1,575,730 Altnow Mar; 9, 1926 2,405,469

Tirrel Aug. 6 1945 

